Hollow Fence Post to Pipe Adapter

ABSTRACT

A hollow post to pipe adapter device supports a hollow fence post on a pipe. The device has an outer peripheral surface that fits within the hollow fence post and a pipe aperture that receives the pipe. A rotator body locates the pipe aperture therein and is rotatably supported in relation to the peripheral surface. The pipe aperture is offset from the axis of rotation or the rotator body relative to the peripheral surface and the aperture is rotatable together with the rotator body about the axis so that the device is arranged for eccentrically locating the pipe in relation the outer peripheral surface in the hollow post.

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/763,907, filed Feb. 1, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adapter for mounting a hollow fence post onto a pipe, and more particularly relates to an adapter which mounts within the hollow fence post to span between the pipe and an inner surface of the hollow fence post.

BACKGROUND

Plastic or vinyl fences have become quite common. They are particularly desirable because they are light weight, strong, attractive, and virtually maintenance free. Most of these fence posts are manufactured as hollow structures. The hollow posts are typically supported overtop of a vertical pipe of smaller diameter which is anchored in the ground. When installing the fence, the pipes are typically first anchored in the ground at the desired post locations. A suitable mounting fixture or adapter device is subsequently mounted on the posts for mounting within the hollow fence post to span between the pipe and the inner surface of the hollow fence post for supporting the fence posts on the pipes. It is difficult to align the pipes with their exact desired location and to set the pipes in a perfectly vertical orienting though, and slight misalignments of the pipes relative to one another are therefore commonplace, resulting in misalignment of installed fence structure.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,808 to Lehmann describes one example of a mounting fixture for supporting a hollow fence post on a pipe. An outer peripheral surface of the fixture is snugly fit within the interior of the fence position. An inner collar is provided on the fixture, in a coaxially fixed relationship with the outer peripheral surface for receiving the pipe therein in coaxial alignment with the surrounding hollow fence post. Due to the fixed relationship of the inner collar and outer peripheral surface, the mounting fixture of Lehmann is unable to accommodate for slight misalignments of the pipes relative to one another.

Other examples of mounting fixture include U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,827 to Gehman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,188 to Coulis, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,431 to Williams, however these fixtures are typically complex and expensive to fabricate. In addition, the prior art fixtures are also limited in their ability to accommodate for misalignments of the pipes relative to one another when erecting a fence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an adapter device arranged for mounting a hollow fence post on a pipe, the device comprising:

an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension arranged such that the device fits within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post;

a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture arranged to receive the pipe and extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension which is arranged to fit the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and

a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis;

the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis so as to be arranged for eccentrically locating the pipe collar in relation the outer peripheral surface.

According to a second aspect of the present there is provided an adapter device in combination with a hollow fence post supported on a pipe, the device comprising:

an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension fitting within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post;

a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension fitting the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and

a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis;

the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis such that the pipe collar is arranged to be eccentrically located in relation the outer peripheral surface.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided, in a hollow fence post supported on a pipe, an adapter device comprising:

an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension such that the device fits within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post;

a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension which closely fits the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and

a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis;

the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis for eccentrically locating the pipe collar in relation the outer peripheral surface.

By supporting the pipe collar to be eccentrically located relative to the outer peripheral surface, the location of the hollow fence post relative to the pipe upon which it is supported can thus be adjusted to accommodate minor misalignments of the pipe positioning or inclination relative to other pipes of a fence structure to be erected. The positioning of the pipe collar offset from the rotator axis and the rotator axis also being offset from the main axis of the outer peripheral surface, permits the pipe collar to be rotated from a central position, coaxial with the outer peripheral surface when it is desired for the pipe to be concentric with the fence post, to an offset position in which the pipe and fence post are not coaxially aligned, but rather are offset from one another by varying amounts. Once the rotator body is rotated to a desired positioning of the pipe collar relative to the fence post, a set screw may be used to fix the orientation of the rotator body at which point the pipe collar provides full peripheral support to the pipe to which it surrounds while the outer peripheral surface provides full peripheral support to the hollow fence post received thereabout.

The pipe axis and the main axis are preferably equidistant from the rotator axis such that the pipe collar is rotatable into a centered position in which the pipe axis and the main axis are coaxially aligned.

The pipe collar is preferably rotatable from a first position which is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a diametrically opposite second position which is spaced radially outwardly in relation to the main axis towards the outer peripheral surface.

The pipe aperture is preferably round in cross section, while the outer peripheral surface mates non-rotatably with a hollow fence post of rectangular cross section.

In this instance, the pipe collar is preferably rotatable from a first position in which the pipe collar is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a second position diametrically opposite the first position adjacent a corner of the outer peripheral surface.

There may be provided a main body comprising a plate oriented substantially perpendicularly to the main axis which defines the outer peripheral surface about a periphery thereof and which includes an aperture therein which rotatably supports the rotator body therein.

The rotator body may comprise a circular plate supported rotatably and coaxially within the aperture in the plate of the main body.

The rotator body may be snap fit into the aperture in the main body.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partly sectional elevational view of a fence post supported on a pipe anchored in the ground.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter device.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a main body of the device.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the rotator body of the device,

FIG. 5 is an exploded sectional elevational view of the device.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the device.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the device in an assembly position.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the device.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated an adapter device generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The device 10 comprises a mounting fixture which is suitable for use with plastic or vinyl fencing 12 of the type including hollow posts 14 which support rails 16 standing horizontally between the posts. Each post 14 is supported on a pipe 18 anchored in a base 20 in the ground, for example using concrete or stone and the like. The pipe 18 is intended to be supported in a substantially vertical orientation.

The adapter device 10 includes a main body 22 molded of plastic material. The main body 22 includes an outer peripheral surface 24 which mates with the hollow interior of the post 14 which surrounds it in contact therewith in use. In the illustrated embodiment, the hollow fence post is rectangular in cross section, and accordingly the outer peripheral surface 24 is similarly rectangular in cross section having similar square dimensions including four sides and four corners which contact the inner surface of the hollow post 14 for non-rotatable engagement therewith.

The main body 22 includes a peripheral wall 26 extending about the periphery and which defines the outer peripheral surface facing radially outwardly from a main axis 28 centrally located on the main body in relation to the periphery. The peripheral wall 26 defining the outer peripheral surface 24 thus lies parallel to the main axis 28.

The main body further includes a plate 30 which spans the interior of the peripheral wall 26 so as to lie generally perpendicularly to the main axis 28. An aperture 32 is formed in the plate through which the pipe is received. The aperture 32 is round in cross section about a respective rotator axis 34 thereof. The rotator axis 34 is parallel to but offset so as to be spaced radially outwardly in relation to the main axis 28 of the outer peripheral surface 24.

The aperture 32 is much larger in diameter than the pipe 18 and is positioned to span from the centre of the plate at the main axis 28 to a diametrically opposite side of the aperture 32 which is adjacent one of the corners of the outer peripheral surface 24 of the main body. The aperture 32 is thus offset from the center of the main body towards one of the corners of the rectangular cross section so as to be equidistant to two sides of the rectangular cross section to which the aperture 32 is positioned adjacent to as well as being equidistant from the two other sides of the rectangular cross section from which the aperture 32 is spaced farther.

A peripheral edge 36 which surrounds the aperture 32 may have a lip of increased thickness for strengthening the plate surrounding the aperture 32. To provide additional strength to the plate, gussets 38 are provided which span outwardly from the edge 36 surrounding the aperture 32 in a radial direction relative to the rotator axis of the main body towards each of the four sides of the rectangular cross section of the outer peripheral surface 24. The gussets 38 generally comprise a rib of increased thickness extending along the plate 30 of the main body. The peripheral wall 26 extends generally in the axial direction away from the plate 30 in only one direction while terminating at the plate at the opposing end. The wall 26 projects from the plate on the same side of the plate as the gussets 38.

A rotator body 40 is rotatably mounted within the aperture 32 in the plate in the main body. The rotator body 40 generally comprises a circular plate which has a diameter which is only slightly larger than the aperture 32 to slightly overlap the lip formed about the edge 36 of the aperture about a full periphery thereof. An annular mounting flange 42 projects in an axial direction perpendicular to the plate 41 in one direction from the plate so as to be coaxial therewith. The annular mounting flange 42 has an outer diameter which corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the aperture 32 in the plate of the main body for closely fitting the mounting flange 42 within the aperture to support the rotator body 40 on the main body.

An outer free edge 44 of the annular flange includes a rib of increased diameter which defines an undercut shoulder 46 about an outer side of the mounting flange which is spaced from the plate 41 of the rotator body a distance which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the edge 36 surrounding the aperture 32 in the main body. In this manner the shoulder 46 is forced through the aperture 32 in the main body until the edge 36 of the aperture 32 is received about the annular mounting flange 42 between the shoulder 46 and the circular plate 41 so as to be retained rotatably therein. The rotator body 40 is thus snap fit into the aperture 32 in the main body while permitting free relative rotation therebetween once mounted in place. The rotator body 40 rotates about the rotator axis 34 concentric with the aperture 32.

The rotator body 40 includes a pipe collar 48 formed integrally thereon so as to be fixed mounted on the rotator body for rotation therewith about the rotator axis 34. The pipe collar 48 defines a through pipe aperture in the form a hollow interior of the collar which extends along a central pipe axis 50 concentric with the surrounding inner walls of the pipe collar. The pipe collar 48 extends from the plate 41 in one direction only which is opposite from the walls 26 of the main body. The exterior surface 48 of the collar is thus readily accessible for subsequent insertion of set screws upon installation.

The pipe collar 48 is fixed on the rotator body so that the pipe axis 50 is parallel but spaced radially outward so as to be offset from the rotator axis 34. The pipe axis 50 is spaced from the rotator axis 34 by the same distance the rotator axis 34 is spaced from the main axis 28 such that the rotator body 40 is rotatable into a position in which the pipe axis 50 is concentric with the main axis 28. In this centered position, the pipe collar 48 is concentric with the outer peripheral surface 24 of the main body. This position is desirable when the pipe 18 is to be supported concentrically within the hollow fence post 14.

The pipe collar 48 is round in cross section having walls of constant diameter extending parallel to the pipe axis 50. The inner diameter closes fits the pipe 18 coaxially therein so that once the desired rotation of the rotator body is selected, the position of the pipe is supported about a full periphery thereof by the pipe collar. From the central position of the pipe collar 48 as noted above, the pipe collar can be eccentrically rotated relative to the outer peripheral surface to locate the pipe collar anywhere from the centered position to an offset position towards one of the sides of the square cross section or towards one of the corners of the square cross section.

When erecting a fence the adapter device 10 can thus be used to support a hollow fence post on a pipe while accommodating for minor variations to the inclination of the pipe or minor variations to the relative spacing between adjacent pipes which are mounted at spaced positions along the ground. Typically two of the adapter devices are supported on a pipe at vertically spaced positions therealong for supporting the hollow post thereabout. As shown in FIG. 1, when a pipe is misaligned vertically, the offset of the pipe collar relative to the main axis of the outer periphery are offset in opposite directions in a common plane with the inclination of the pipe to accommodate for the inclination and position the surrounding post vertically thereon. Alternatively, when the pipe merely requires adjustment of its distance to a next adjacent pipe of the fence structure, the adapter devices 10 may be offset in the same directions towards or away from the next adjacent pipe. Set screws 62 are inserted through the pipe collars 48 of the devices 10 into the pipe 18 to fix the selected orientation of the devices prior to completion of installation of the surrounding fence post.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. An adapter device arranged for mounting a hollow fence post on a pipe, the device comprising: an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension arranged such that the device fits within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post; a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture arranged to receive the pipe and extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension which is arranged to fit the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis; the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis so as to be arranged for eccentrically locating the pipe collar in relation the outer peripheral surface.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the pipe axis and the main axis are equidistant from the rotator axis such that the pipe collar is rotatable into a centered position in which the pipe axis and the main axis are coaxially aligned.
 3. The device according to claim wherein the pipe collar is rotatable from a first position which is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a diametrically opposite second position which is spaced radially outwardly in relation to the main axis towards the outer peripheral surface.
 4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the pipe aperture is round in cross section.
 5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the outer peripheral surface mates non-rotatably with a hollow fence post of rectangular cross section.
 6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the pipe collar is rotatable from a first position in which the pipe collar is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a second position diametrically opposite the first position adjacent a corner of the outer peripheral surface.
 7. The device according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a main body comprising a plate oriented substantially perpendicularly to the main axis which defines the outer peripheral surface about a periphery thereof and which includes an aperture therein which rotatably supports the rotator body therein.
 8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the rotator body comprises a circular plate supported rotatably and coaxially within the aperture in the plate of the main body.
 9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the rotator body is snap fit into the aperture in the main body.
 10. An adapter device in combination with a hollow fence post supported on a pipe, the device comprising: an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension fitting within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post; a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension fitting the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis; the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis such that the pipe collar is arranged to be eccentrically located in relation the outer peripheral surface.
 11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the pipe axis and the main axis are equidistant from the rotator axis such that the pipe collar is rotatable into a centered position in which the pipe axis and the main axis are coaxially aligned.
 12. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the pipe collar is rotatable from a first position which is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a diametrically opposite second position which is spaced radially outwardly in relation to the main axis towards the outer peripheral surface.
 13. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the pipe aperture is round in cross section.
 14. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the hollow fence post has a rectangular cross section and the outer peripheral surface mates non-rotatably with the hollow fence post.
 15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein the pipe collar is rotatable from a first position in which the pipe collar is substantially centered with respect to the main axis to a second position diametrically opposite the first position adjacent a corner of the outer peripheral surface.
 16. The combination according to claim 10 wherein there is provided a main body comprising a plate oriented substantially perpendicularly to the main axis which defines the outer peripheral surface about a periphery thereof and which includes an aperture therein which rotatably supports the rotator body therein.
 17. The combination according to claim 16 wherein the rotator body comprises a circular plate supported rotatably and coaxially within the aperture in the plate of the main body.
 18. The combination according to claim 17 wherein the rotator body is snap fit into the aperture in the main body.
 19. In a hollow fence post supported on a pipe, an adapter device comprising: an outer peripheral surface surrounding a main axis, the outer peripheral surface having an outer shape and dimension such that the device fits within the hollow fence post in contact with an inner surface of the hollow fence post and with the main axis lying concentrically within the hollow fence post; a pipe collar defining a pipe aperture extending therethrough along a pipe axis, the pipe collar having an inner diameter of a dimension which closely fits the pipe therein coaxially with the pipe axis; and a rotator body coupled to the peripheral surface for rotation of the rotator body about a rotator axis lying parallel to and offset radially outward in fixed relation to the main axis, the rotator body supporting the pipe collar thereon such that the pipe axis lies parallel to and offset radially outward from the rotator axis; the pipe collar and the rotator body being rotatable together about the rotator axis for eccentrically locating the pipe collar in relation the outer peripheral surface. 